Hindustan Times (Amritsar)

Body of second missing girl found, three arrested

MYSTERY Body found after fiveday search operation; victims’ kin suspect foul play

- Jatinder Kohli jatinder.kohli2@hindustant­imes.com

SBS NAGAR: The five-day long search operation of the local police ended on Tuesday after the divers recovered the body of Rupinderje­et Kaur ,14,of Chahla village from Bist-Doab canal in Kangna village of Balachaur town. Kaur with her classmate Manpreet Kaur ,14, of Sudha Ma jr a went missing on July 21 under mysterious circumstan­ces.

During the initial search operations on July 21, victim Manp ree t’ s body was found floating in the canal. Rupinderje­et’s father Kulwant Singh, who works as truck driver, had called the police after spotting the body.

The villagers and cops had brought out the body from the canal and later shifted to Balachaur civil hospital for post-mortem. The police officials are yet to officially comment about whether both girls had jumped into the canal or if there is any other angle.

Meanwhile, Balachaur police arrested three youths in case on Tuesday. Senior superinten­dent of police (SSP) Satinder Singh confirmed the arrest but said things will be made clear in the coming days. “The case is sensitive case and investigat­ions are going on,” SSP said. SSP Singh had deputed separate teams for the search operations. As many as 150 cops were also stationed across the town.

As per the CCTV footage, both girls were found crossing the road at 2.05 pm on July 21.

On the same day, the school authoritie­s had found a mobile phone from Rupinderje­et and informed her family. Balachaur police had registered a murder case against unidentifi­ed persons on the statement of Manpreet’s uncle Ba lr ajSingh ,30, of Nakodar. He had alleged that there was no water in her stomach and her mouth was covered info am indicating that someone had killed her before dumping the body into the canal. The police had also registered a kidnapping case on the statement of Rupinderje­et’s father Kulwant Singh, 45, as he had suspected someone had abducted his daughter.

The cops have also talked to school authoritie­s, classmates of thevictims­andthebusd­river.As per the driver, the girls had stepped down in the midway claiming that they wanted to attend the tuition class. As per cops, later both girls had hired an auto-rick shaw to reach the canal.

 ??  ?? Police officials and villagers during the search operation at Kangna village in SBS Nagar on Wednesday. HT PHOTO
Police officials and villagers during the search operation at Kangna village in SBS Nagar on Wednesday. HT PHOTO
 ??  ?? Victim Rupinderje­et Kaur
Victim Rupinderje­et Kaur

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India